Cowichan Intercultural Society (CIS)

The Cowichan Intercultural Society is the leading community resource for immigrant settlement services in the Cowichan Valley. After 35 years of continued growth, we are in the process of securing a new "home." On Giving Tuesday 2017, all funds raised by CIS will support the acquisition of a property which will serve as a “Welcome House” for newcomers & citizens to the Cowichan Valley, and which will serve as a legacy of inclusiveness for our region for decades to come.

Currently, the Cowichan Intercultural Society operates out of inadequate space in three separate buildings. To achieve greater organizational efficiency and cost-effectiveness, it is our vision to expand and consolidate current programming space within a new development to better meet the needs of our local clientele. In addition to providing enough space to host our complete range of programming & services, the Cowichan Valley Intercultural Welcome House will become a welcoming, inclusive space for the entire Cowichan Valley community. In addition to the 500+ clientele who access our services yearly, our organization is supported by over 200 volunteers annually, and the Cowichan Valley Intercultural Welcome House will give the community-at-large a space to come to connect with different cultures & newcomers. In addition to our volunteers, our organization often hosts inclusive community events and we look forward to welcoming other non-profit organizations, community groups, and community members to our new building for workshops, trainings, and events. Currently, we often host our events and workshops at off-site locations, due to our existing space constraints.

The Cowichan Valley Intercultural Welcome House will be the welcome centre for immigrants & refugees resettling in the Cowichan Valley and it will one of the most prominent examples of inclusiveness in our region. Our organization’s principal values are collaboration, innovation, and sensitivity, and our vision is to be leaders in building inclusive and welcoming communities, where every person feels valued and has a sense of belonging. This project, the creation of a “Welcome House” for newcomers and citizens alike, embodies our core values and will serve as a legacy of inclusiveness for the Cowichan Valley.